Improved fibe-escape ladder



@uiten faire @anni @frn IMPROVED FIRE-ESCAPE 'LADDBR.

am 51:13am referrer in im that ittica lirtent mit making ,um ci tige time TO ALL WHOM IT MAY GONCERN:

Be. it known that I, RUSSELLOOMIS, of Saratoga Springs, Saratoga county, New York,have invented a new and improved Extension-Scaffold Elevator; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,- and exact description thereof, which will enable others 'skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference beingV had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a. vertical section of `my improved scaffold elevator when raised, taken in theline zo ai, fig. 3.

Figure ,2 is a partial side view when closed.

Figure 3 is a partial view of another side, when raised.

v Figure 4 is a transverse section in the line y y, iig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

This inventionV relates to an improved arrangementof mechanism for raising'a scaiold or platform, which may be applied to various usefulpurposes instead of a'ladder` and consists in a pair of revolving disks in connection with friction-rollers for opening and closing a device known as lazy tongs, which are mounted on a portableframe, which may be moved about on wheels, or in any other convenient manner. This invention is more especially designed for the use of firemen to raise their hose quickly to the upper stories of buildings on ire, but may be employed in many cases more advantageously 'than a ladder. Constructed on a small scale, to be light and portable by hand, it would be very convenient and useful in an orchard for picking apples and other fruits requiring careful handling. A i

lA represents a supporting-frame for the elevator or lazy tongs B. C C arc trucks for moving it about as required. On each side of the suppo'rting-frame A, vertical revolving disks D D are hung on a transverse shaft, a, operated by a crank, b. The disks D D are grooved on the inner sides in the manner of a coil or scroll from the centre to the circumference, as shown in figs. 1 and2. The grooves e c in the disks D D serve as guides for the ends of thelower cross-bars d al, which are placed therein, and are spread apart or drawn together the rotation of the disks, and thus extend or contract the lazy tongs vB for the purpose of elevating'or lowering the platform E on their upper ends, as may be desired. The crossbars ci l are provided with frictionrollers to regulate their horizontal movement, which rollers travel on a bed or upper side, gg, of' the frame A, under a cap, h, which prevents them from rising. Upon the upper end of the elevator or lazy tongs B, the outside cross-bars all dl are placed on a narrow guide-space, c, under the platform E, and they are prevented from coming too near. together by the stop-rod n when the platform is raised, as shown in'fig. 1.- As a supplementary power for expanding the lazy tongs B the springs e e are attached to outside cross-bars d3 d3 on each end, and coiled around the centre connecting-bar d2 in such manner that they tend to draw the hars together by their elastic action. The trucks C C are provided with rails F F, for hose and rope. On the bottom of the frame A a long board, m, is pivoted in the centre, which may be turned crosswise to give the elevator a rm base when it is detached fromthe truck; and further to steady the elevator when necessary, guy-ropes may be attached. Itl will be seen that by revolving the disks D D the ends of the lower cross-barsd will travel in the grooves c e, either towards the centre of the disks, and thus raise the elevator with the platform E on towards the circumference of the disks, and thus lower the elevator; and also that the platform E will remain stationary at any point of elevation by the equal bearing of the bars cl d in the grooves c c, when the disks D D are not rotated. t Y

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new, andV desire to secure by Letters Patent- The revolving disks D D, having in their sides the scroll grooves c c, the friction-rollers z', on the crossbars d d, and Athe c`ap h, in combination with the lazy tongs B, arranged and operating substantially as and for' the purpose herein described.

RUSSEL LDGMIS.

Witnesses:

WM. E. McNAMARA, ALEX. F. ROBERTS. 

